@SailorStar9:
There have been more hints about the Shitennou and Senshi far more in Crystal than there ever was in the ’94 original. I, for one, am enjoying it very much! They’re actually formidable enemies for once, and also retain some sort of foggy memor of the Senshi… but hown much they remember is unclear at this time in the show.

I watched the fourth episode Sunday and I thought that I would be fast forward through some of it. I was surprised that I really liked it and it kept me interested the whole way through, so I didn’t fast forward at all.

I loved the introductory images at the beginning of the episode. I made Sailor Mercury’s my new wallpaper.

Just watched episode four. The changes to the story do seem to be working very well. I am still trying to get my brain around the idea of Rei being timid. I can understand the take they are going with. Daughter of a high-powered Tokyo politician, a single parent who shipped his daughter to the wife’s grandfather to handle at his Shinto shrine. Growing up at the shrine, becoming a miko at a early age, helping grandfather with her unique abilities, growing to a private Catholic school. Layers of isolation on top of isolation, maybe her fellow students at the Catholic school find her too different from them, both her social status and her spiritual status.
The Catholic school system in Tokyo handles the children of the embassies as well as the elite of the megacity. Classes are taught in English so we have another barrier between Rei and your typical Japanese student going to public school. Yes, English is taught in public school, but as shown by Usagi’s test papers, it really depends on how good your English teacher is.
So Rei has been raised separate from the typical life of a Japanese teenager. No vid games it seems, a hard time in showing emotions (Rei’s reaction to high five with Ami was amusing), yet there does seem to be a good core of determination there as well.
Hmmm…. I wonder since Jediate did survive the haunted bus episode, if he might try to use Rei’s timid to attempt to seduce her, bring in the sidestory from the manga into play?

Just watched the 3rd episode, and at least one good thing that came out of it: they *finally* got rid of Mamoru’s tacky green jacket! But what I really want is for them to expand the Shittenou/Senshi story.

Storyline: As some might have guessed, they are going with the manga format and getting the Sailor Senshi together. To some degree I’m going to miss the early battles when it was just Sailor Moon or one or two of the other magical girls with her. Those were some of the best episodes because it allowed Usagi to develop as a heroine and bond with the others. Now there were some subtle changes in the episode, for one thing Ami actually used the brainwashing disk, in both the original anime and the manga, Ami never used the disk because she didn’t need to. Of course the battle was changed because of this, which allowed Tux Boy to give Sailor Moon a lift. I did miss the bit about Luna landing on Ami’s head although it was mentioned in passing by Ami (“She fell from the sky like an angel from the heavens”). The use of Usagi’s dreams is very interesting and I did like the way Ami visualized when Usagi first touched her.

Graphics: Once more much improved FPS speed and use of colors and designs here. The characters are sharp and individual in build and size. The background work is very good and still have the retro feel to it, although it was interesting to see Usagi does have her own laptop (Product advertising! Be the first one to have your very own Sailor Moon Laptop!), which makes you wonder what Sailor Mercury’s mini-computer will look like.

Voice Acting: This was very good, so far each person really do make their character will pop.

Preview: It does look like Rei is next up to bat so expect the Haunted Bus episode.

I’m interested in how they will portray Rei… considering she had MAJOR character change in the anime…
Will she be dead serious no-nonsense character or will she be hot-blooded bully?
( I am willing to bet on the first case…)

Heh, I love that she’s unsure of who she is–unlike so many other new superheroes who immediately know what to call themselves when they arrive upon the scene. This is adorable–this could have happened!

Well, yeah, Luna is a word for Moon on several languages, so… wait, then we have Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibi Moon, Sailor Luna… how many sailor senshi there are related to our planet’s moon out there? o_o